Job 18

1 Then Bildad replied [again]:

But Baldad the Suhite responded by saying:

2 “When are you going to stop talking [RHQ]? If you would stop talking and listen, we could tell you something.

How long will you throw around words? Understand first, and then let us speak.

3 Why do you think that we are [as stupid] as cattle? [DOU, RHQ]

Why have we been treated like mules, as if we were unworthy before you?

4 By being [very] angry and hurting yourself, do you think that doing that will shake the earth, or cause the rocks in the mountains to move? [RHQ]?

You, who ruins your own soul in your fury, will the earth be forsaken because of you, and will the cliffs be moved from their place?

5 “What will happen is that the lives of wicked people [like you] end [as quickly as we can] put out a light or extinguish the flame of a fire.

Will not the light of the impious be put out, and the flame of his fire refuse to shine?

6 And when the lamps above them [in their tents] are extinguished, there will be no light in those tents.

Light will become darkness in his tabernacle, and the lamp that is over him will be extinguished.

7 [For many years] they walked confidently, but later [in life it was as though] they stumbled and fell, because [they themselves did not heed] the advice [that they gave to others].

His strong steps will be constrained, and his own counsel will cast him down uncontrollably.

8 [It was as though] they walked into their own net or fell into a pit that they themselves have dug.

For he has caused his own feet to go into a net, and he has walked into its web.

9 [It was as though] a trap grabbed their heels and held them fast [DOU],

His heel will be held in a snare, and thirst will rage against him.

10 [as though the noose of] a rope that was hidden on the ground, [whose other end was fastened to the limb of a tree], seized them when they walked into it.

A trap has been hidden for him in the earth, and a decoy, along his path.

11 Everywhere they went, there were things that caused them to be terrified; [it was as though] those things were pursuing them and biting at their heels.

Horrifying things will terrify him everywhere and will entangle his feet.

12 They became hungry, with the result that they had no strength. They experienced disasters [PRS] constantly.

Let his strength be diminished by famine, and let starvation invade his ribs.

13 Diseases spread all over their skin/bodies; diseases that (caused their bodies to decay/destroyed their arms and legs).

Let it devour the beauty of his skin; let the ancient death consume his arms.

14 [When they died, ] they were snatched away from their tents and brought to the one who rules over the dead.

Let his confidence be torn away from his tabernacle, and let ruin trample over him like a king.

15 Now their tents will burn down, when burning sulfur rains down on those tents!

Let the companions of he who is not, dwell in his tabernacle; let brimstone rain down upon his tabernacle.

16 [Because those who died had no descendants], they were [like trees whose] roots have dried up and whose branches have all withered [MET].

Let his roots be dried up from beneath him, and his harvest be crushed from above.

17 No one on the earth will remember them any more; no [one on any] street [will even remember] their names [MTY].

Let the memory of him perish from the earth, and let not his name be celebrated in the streets.

18 They will be expelled from the earth where there is light, and they will be sent into the place where it is dark.

He will expel him from light into darkness, and he will remove him from the world.

19 They will have no children or grandchildren, no descendants where they previously lived.

Neither his offspring, nor his descendants, will exist among his people, nor will there be any remnants in his country.

20 People from the east to the west [who hear about what happened to them], will be shocked and horrified.

The last will be astonished at his day, and the first will be overcome with horror.

21 And that is what happens to ungodly/sinful people [like you], to people who (have no interest in/have rejected) God.”

And so, these are the tabernacles of the sinful, and this the place of he who does not know God.